Amortentia
by FatCatsAndUnicorns
Summary: Their hatred towards each other had sparked the moment Draco realized her blood status. But after some time together, and the pressure of completing his deadly task, will Draco finally realize that the world is not divided by Pure-bloods and Muggleborns? It's not Hermione's job to change him, but can she help him to see the light at the end of his dark tunnel?
1. Chapter 1, The Slip

**Chapter 1, The Slip**

Harry and Ron were waiting for Hermione.

She was late, Harry thought. She was never late. Not in a million years would she be late to class. Slughorn had already started the lesson. The two boys glanced as they fidgeted with their pencils.

"Do you know where she might be?" Harry whispered, looking over at Hermione's empty stool. Their table was the closest to the entrance door which also made it the furthest away from Slughorn who sat on his wooden desk as he re-told the class a peculiar dream, his small feet winging back and forwards. The desk groaned and cracked under his weight, but it was muffled by his laughter and amused voice.

"No idea. Maybe she's rushing from the library right now. I wouldn't be surprised if she lost track of time and attempted to read 'Hogwarts: A History' again," Ron joked trying to relieve the tension. It was a bad joke, awful, Rin knew, but it worked anyway.

Harry weakly smiled and some of his uneasiness left him as he imagined the frantic young witch running through the corridors searching for their class. He turned back to the professor and tried to ignore Hermione's absence.

But Ron couldn't help himself turn his head towards the door every few minutes.

As he couldn't fully concentrate on the lesson, Ron subconsciously gazed around him, chin resting on his hand with his elbow on the table.

_The table_. The tables here in Hogwarts and Hogsmeade were always _sticky_. If you put a glass cup on top when you lifted it, it required effort as it would get stuck. The wood, Ron thought, would be ancient, suffering multiple spilled juices and inks.  
When he put his hand on the table it felt as if it had been glazed with Bee's wax. He smiled as his train of thought took him to the afternoons when his mum would make Beeswax wraps. He would sometimes help his mum out when there was nothing to do around the house. Gnomes goodly loved them. The reason why Mum had to make so many was that the little creatures would steal them and use them for blankets. Dad would sometimes sneak out at night and leave some out on the porch, but Mum quickly caught on. I wonder, Ron thought puzzled, how do they sleep?

"PAH!"

The heavy dungeon door swung open to reveal an exhausted Hermione sporting what looked like recently washed hair. She panted for breath before speaking while her friends gaped at her.  
"I'm so sorry, Professor! Peeves dropped a jug of caramel on me and he was like, laughing, and, then he- he flew- actually more like glid- away. Then- like - a nice Hufflepuff found me and rinsed my hair with a spell, but it went sort of slightly wrong..." she babbled, leaning on the door frame, the back of her hand on her forehead. "So sorry, Professor," she said once more.

"That is okay, Miss Granger! Peeves was as much as a nuisance as he is now. Very understandable."  
Hermione thanked him, but then a strange smell entered her system, and her eyes darted across the room.  
"Seriously Malfoy?" the Gryffindor groaned.  
"What did I do!?" he cried across the room raising his hands.  
"You're cologne, it stinks the whole place, it's like you sprayed right in my face," she said, taking her bag off and slowly placing it on the floor next to her unoccupied stool.

"Granger, I'm not wearing any," Malfoy smirked.

The whole class stared at her, even Slughorn was astounded. Some shuffled their feet, others whispered to each other excitedly. The Slytherins tried to suppress their toxic laughs. Sudden attention from the class made Hermione feel very uncomfortable. She shot a look at the stoic Ron with a 'what-is-happening-did-I-say-something-stupid-what-is-going-on-I-thought-I-said-something-really-badass?!' sort of expression. However, the definition of badass for Hermione was quite different from most.

"Hermione, we're making Amortentia," Ron sighed.

A sudden iron-fist hit Hermione in the gut made her miss several breaths of air. Blood elevated to her cheeks and heat radiated out of her like a simmering pan. No one missed her reactions, and soon Hermione found herself falling onto her stool and cowering behind her hands. An urge for the earth to open up and swallow her was the only thing to distract her from the wolf-whistling and jeers.

"Well," Slughorn cleared his throat demanding silence. "As Mr. Weasley said, today we will be making Amortentia. I have already made some here by my right. It's the world's most powerful love potion or better-said, obsession. It duplicates the smell of what most attracts them." There was a moment of silence, and Hermione swore she could feel herself shrink into a shivering of a mess.

"Its ingredients consist of the root of Banksia, crushed beetle wings, eel eyes…" Slughorn's words droned off. Hermione didn't care about what the potion was made of. Well, at least at this moment. She would never forgive herself if the potion's ingredients list was on her N.E.W.T.S and she didn't know it. The only thing Hermione cared about _now_ was the twitchy ferret. She took her hands away from her face and looked at Malfoy, a few desks in front of her. He was whispering with Goyle and Blaise.

Draco must have sensed someone looking at him from behind because he quickly turned around. The Slytherin looked at her oddly, his eyebrows furrowed as though a second head had sprouted from her neck. Blaise also turned his back around to face her. Despite being several meters away (almost on different sides of the room) their combined stairs made Hermione blush and hide again.

"Hey, Hermione," nudged Harry grinning. She looked up already knowing what he was going to say. "Since when have you liked Malfoy?" he teased.  
"Oh, shut up, Harry," she chuckled, hitting him with her potions book on the side. Soon after, most of the class had already forgotten about the incident and focused on the interesting lesson. Ron, however, was moody and sulky throughout the whole lesson, only speaking when he needed to and harshly muttering when he did. But Hermione didn't care if he thought she fancied Malfoy. He was dating Lavender. Simple as that. But it wasn't like she was going to date Malfoy anyway..._No, that is as likely as the git calling me "Hermione"._

* * *

"What did the nice Hufflepuff do to your hair that was 'sort of slightly wrong'?" asked Harry as they enjoyed the warmth of the crackling common room fire. The three had put on their pyjamas and fluffy socks they got from Christmas, leaning on each other lazily on the couch. Lavender was nowhere to be seen, otherwise, this un-winding past time would have been immediately stopped.

"Oh," this made Hermione give him an embarrassed smile. She sat up straight on the edge of the settee. Her hands parted her dark brown hair horizontally and then tied it, creating a half and half hairstyle.

"Damn," Harry said. Ron craned his neck to get a better look at the supposed scandal.  
"My God," he scoffed.  
"My God, indeed." The bottom part of her hair had been turned into a salmon pink colour with green speaks.  
"I'm writing Mum," he said as his fingers brushed through Hermione's new hair. "She might now how to fix it,"  
"I'm sure one of the girls could help me out."  
"So the rest of your hair becomes a circus?" Ron laughed as he examined it.  
"Hey, that's rude," Hermione grinned, unable to see their faces as her body was facing the fireplace. "Besides, what _are_ you doing?"

"I'm braiding it," the boy smiled as he leaned closer, sending shivers down her spine.


	2. Chapter 2, Early Snow

**Chapter 2, Early Snow**

Her newly recoloured hair shone in the sunset's light as she calmly roamed down the castle hallways.

Both Harry and Ron had gone down to the Quidditch field to play in the early snow but Hermione had chosen to stay behind and enjoy the wonders of a lit fire.

She gazed at the intricate architecture as she went, humming to herself a melody of just 5 notes that had gotten stuck in her head. Hermione had always loved walking through the castle alone. Especially now as she imagined feeling the fire's heat once she arrived to the common room.

The sun's last rays of light filtered through the tall, panelled windows, covering the stone floor with shadows and rays of pale orange. Snow outside reflected the glowing colours of the sky and turned a deep pink. It was truly beautiful. Hermione smiled as she gazed at her surroundings.

"Mudblood!" yelled a voice behind her. Ticked off by the timing, she made a loud grunt and turned to face the saboteur of her moment. It was Malfoy, and he was walking towards her trying not to trip over his head.

Furious, she turned on her heel and kept on walking forwards. Hermione could hear the Slytherin's clicking footsteps growing closer.  
"Hey! I'm talking to you,"  
"If you're going to make fun of me just for _liking_ your cologne, you're wasting your time," She said loudly, not even bothering to look at him as she said it.  
"And why is that?" He snorted back. The pale boy jogged in front of her and turned to walk backwards, keeping his eyes on the Muggle-born. He put his hands in his pockets and strode carelessly without looking.  
"Because, Ferret, I can just ignore you and think about what I should read next. I've done it before, I can do it again," She stated with frustration. Hermione folded her arms and looked past Malfoy's silver head. Forcefully ignoring his glare.  
Hurt by the constant reminder of his traumatic experience, Malfoy suppressed his feelings and laughed mockingly.

"I didn't know beavers could read! Must be the mud coursing through your veins," He said in a surprised tone. Hermione shot him a deadly stare. He knew how much the word fired her up. Beaver, not mudblood. She must have gotten used to the latter word.  
"I know you think I'm heartless Granger, and you may have a point. I spend large portions of my time picturing you suffocating on your own hair, and I recently asked Filch to build a dam so you would feel more at home. Unless you would rather graze the lawns, as you remind of such a demented cow. _But_ I do care, for example; I do care that the weasel has to live with his horrible orangutan hair for the rest of his petty life; I do care that Scarhead will die by his 20's, saving us all the need to waste our time on him any longer; and I do care that you, out of all people, the Mudblood—" he scoffed, throwing his hands in the air, "—is the one who likes my cologne." the boy paused for a second. "The one person, I'm utterly sickened by," he said calmly.

"Malfoy, the English language lacks the necessary words to describe how much I dislike you," she replied in a monotone voice. Her eyes housed a storm of bottled up emotion. The two nemeses kept on walking silently. Hermione hastily headed to the common room, hands clenched to her side, but he still paced in front of her.

"Glad we can agree," he finally said. The Slytherin knew he had taken it too far. The witch seemed like she would explode.

"LEAVE ME ALONE THEN! If you hate me so much!" Hermione cried as tears rolled down her flustered cheeks. "Why are you even here?!" she yelled. "Telling me my best friend is going to be murdered, a fact, I already have to take into consideration! I'm afraid, Malfoy. I'm terrified. When we get out of Hogwarts, you could full well be the person behind the mask that I see for the last time." Her hand reached for her wand and pointed at him menacingly.

"I..." the boy said taken aback.

"What? What did you want to tell me!" she shouted at his face.

"I didn't, I don't-" he stuttered under the pressure of saying anything wrong. There was a long pause as Draco tried to string words together. His pale structure seemed to cower, his long robes making him even smaller. "Leave. I can't believe I've wasted my time and emotions on _you._" Hermione said, letting her arm fall to her side. "Goodbye, Malfoy."

She took a step back from the Slytherin and walked off.

Reaching the sleeping Fat Lady in a couple of strides, the girl woke her up and muttered the password. Hermione glanced back at the silent boy as the door hang half-open. He mooned at her with his dark grey eyes. Malfoy's mouth seemed like a straight line, unreadable and expressionless.

Hermione fully opened the door and slammed it behind her causing the Fat Lady to became fully-awake.

Drying her tears with her sleeve, Hermione began to think.

She genuinely pitied Draco. He didn't know how it felt to have friends and family. He didn't realise that there were more things to life than wealth and status. There was love, something he lacked above all else. A man can never be truly happy if his friends are mounts of galleons. he becomes hallow. Hallow-er.

But she would never forget his actions, Malfoy had caused her just too much pain. A pain that ate her away every time their eyes met. Every insult no matter how much she acted like she was used to it. It was like being flushed with an icy bucket of water every time the subject was brought up. A relentless to only see her blood type and nothing else.  
"Hey Hermione, know where Harry is?" squeaked a small curly-haired boy out of nowhere.  
"Not in the mood, Dennis," she sighed.

Hermione didn't go to bed that night, or at least much later than she usually did.

She wrote a letter. Two letters. One to Malfoy, a letter telling him to open his eyes, a letter she would never send. the other letter was for Mrs. Weasley, thanking her for the re-colouring instructions Ginny followed so well.  
Speaking of Ginny, Hermione herd a quiet knock from outside.  
Silently standing up, the Gryffindor made her way to the door. The doorknob was cold, almost making Hermione flinch. As soon as she turned it and opened the rustic dormitory door, two arms pulled her in. Soft red hair brushed her face as the strong arms gently pushed her outside. Hermione's heart gave a jolt, her mind rushing as she felt Ron's embrace.  
"Hey sweetie," sighed a girl's sweet voice. Shame and guilt made Hermione want to cry as she released it had been Ginny all this time. She tried to hide her disappointment as Ginny placed her freckled hands on Hermione's shoulders. "Ellis told me that blond git and you had a fight in the corridors. I just wanted to say hi," Ginny smiled, her eyes almost identical to Ron's.  
"How many people heard it?" she murmured, closing her eyes so _his_ face didn't reflect of Ginny's.  
"Only Ellis and her boyfriend. They were on their way back from the library when they heard your shouts. But doesn't matter," she assured the brunette after catching a glimpse of a tear flash across her now-opened eyes. "Meet me downstairs in the morning when you can. Around 8 would be best. I'm going to teach you the Bat-Boogie curse."

Hermione laughed quietly at this. Tomorrow would be a Sunday, and all of her homework was done for the next two weeks.  
"Deal," she smiled at the closest person she had to a sister.  
"The least I can do for my best lioness."

* * *

Finishing off the letter for Mrs. Weasley was suddenly much easier once she made her way back to her desk. Lavender and the others were all sleeping, so she made sure to keep the lamp by her quill in the low light level. She signed it off with the following.

_Love,  
A very thankful and brunette Hermione Granger_

_P.s_

_Ginny has been such a blessing to me. I don't know how you were able to raise her and her brothers to become who they are now. If I ever have children, I hope I can borrow your notes. _


	3. Chapter 3, Mr Darcy

**Chapter 4, Mr. Darcy**

"BAM!"

A pale hand hit the table with such force the Gryffindor Table shook. Hermione jumped 10 feet, painfully hitting her knees on the bottom of the table and spilling her tea on her blouse. Gryffindors around her also had similar reactions, but when their eyes slowly trailed behind Hermione they looked immediately away as if there was a Basilisk. The pain in her knees stung like fire, more like when you stub your toe on the bed's frame.

Cursing under her breath, Hermione turned around to see the person who had obviously wanted her attention. The brunette's eyes matched the displeasure of Mrs. Weasley's right before the Quidditch World Cup.

It was Pansy Parkinson. A dangerous growl escaped her throat when the two meet each other's stares. The Slytherin was standing over her, her palm pressed onto the table, and her other in her pocket. Parkinson was wearing a tight button-down shirt, its sleeves cuffed up, and tucked in under her skirt which ended just below mid-thigh. Wearing mary janes and knee-high black socks, she towered over Hermione's petite frame. Especially as she was sitting down and the other had gotten a second growth-spurt over the summer.

Hermione glared at her as she tried to dry tea off her blouse with a cloth napkin. "What?" she barked.

"Just wanted to say hi," Pansy replied sweetly, but with such detestation in her eyes that the average person would cower and retreat. She sat down next to Hermione. The spot was empty, usually where Ron sat. This was probably the first time a Slytherin had willingly sat on the Gryffindor table for the last hundred years.

The whole group (which was Harry, Ron, and Ginny) had gone to Quidditch practice. So Hermione was enjoying the quiet morning.  
She loved the three very much, but most breakfast conversations were either filled with Quidditch or Snape conspiracy theories. These were the only times Hermione could drink some tea, eat some toast, and read about Mr. Darcy in peace. It had given her anxiety how many times Mr. Darcy popped out of nowhere, most of the time from the trees, and started talking to Elizabeth trying to flirt. Awfully. It was so bad it had begun to give her second-hand embarrassment.

Pansy crossed her legs, "You like Draco." It was not a question, but a statement.

"No, Pansy, I very much don't. And I'm also not a liar. If I think someone's cologne _does its job_, I'll say it. Doesn't mean I want to marry them."

"But why say it? Unnecessary comment. Could have done your usual crap. 'Uh, I'm a filthy Mudblood and I smell new books and roses, I'm a little princess,'" Pansy mocked, putting her arms close to her chest and moving comically side-to-side.

"Wait. Do _you_ like Malfoy, Pansy? Is his dead hair an asset? What about his grey face?" Her smile fell off her face, turning into a scowl. "Or his mouth that just never seems to smile. Or maybe his downright horrible personality? Matches you though, so that could be compatible."

Pansy flushed so intensely that her ears turned hot pink.

"Pansy and Malfoy! Sitting on a tree! K.I.S.S.I.N.G!" Hermione chanted loudly but quite enough for the teachers to look the other way. Except for Snape, but he was in a deep conversation with the headmaster. McGonagall, however, was fully aware of what was happening. Her eyes dater toward Parkinson when her body leaned into Granger's. A small smile started to curl her thin mouth while watching the Gryffindor stand up for herself.

Sniggers and laughs hidden by hands run down the Gryffindor table. Hermione was getting quite the thrill of giving Pansy a taste of her own venom.

"Say whatever you want elf, but I know you fancy him. Unless you want your already low-quality life made hell, I suggest that you sod off Mudblood," she said threateningly. Pansy stood up and grabbed a spongy croissant from a close pile. She dug into it with her white teeth but spat it out as soon as it touched her mouth. "Damn, even your food is disgusting."

She stared icily at Hermione one last time and walked away towards the Slytherin table, her long legs attracting the attention passers-by. She placed her feet in front of the other like a model, and when she sat down, Pansy slowly rolled her body down sensually.

"Dog breath," muttered Hermione, hawking at the Slytherin table, who were laughing and looking straight back. Flustered, she turned away and continued to read her novel.

Just as she had picked it up again, a soft voice said her name. "Hermione, _do _you like Malfoy?" piped Parvati.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Lavender was listening in several seats away, head suspiciously still. It seemed even Parvati had begun to get ticked off by Lavender's attitude once she started dating Ron. In truth, everyone was at least slightly displeased by their constant PDA and Lavender's conversation topics that were either about American Boy Bands or the redhead. Parvati and Lavender's friendship was slowly disintegrating, causing them to stop sitting together. But they still shared a mutual interest for the _tea._

"Yes."

"Okay…" she said with a tone obviously suggesting, _'We'll see about that,'_


	4. Chapter 4, Potions Extension

**Chapter 5, Potions Extension **

It was, regrettably, potions once more. And Hermione made sure not to say anything that could be remotely linked to the infamous Draco Malfoy. She sat on her usual spot next to Harry and Ron, far away from the Slytherins who had been bringing up the incident relentlessly.

Slughorn was again resting on his Manhattan Leather chair, twirling his long and wispy mustache. When the students seemed ready, he slowly rose up and addressed the class.

"Hellooo!" he beamed, making the 'ooo' sound twice as long. It had, Profesor Flitwick assured, 'became cool with the kids'. The thing was that when this information was dealt out between the teachers, it was out in Hogsmeade's cobbled streets and two in the morning.

"Today, you will be attempting to brew the Wound-Cleaning Potion. Very difficult, I am aware." Slughorn had begun to pace up down the benches, hands behind his back like a University professor. "But I am sure you will all be able to manage." There was a proud tone in his voice as he passed Harry's bench that was also occupied by a miffed Hermione and Ron. _If only I had gotten the scribbled-on book..._

"In addition, this lesson I will be testing your ability to work with people you don't normally talk to. _I_ will be the one putting you into groups. All you need to do for now is to collect your necessary equipment."

As Slughorn paired up the anxious students, people shuffled over to their newly picked partners. Being a relatively new teacher, he didn't exactly know the rivalry between the two houses, a rivalry that had certainly evolved greatly after his retiring.

The professor finally reached their table, his belly almost knocking down a musky ingredient jar that contained eery looking fish eyes.

"Oh, Harry, my boy! Miss Granger, a pleasure as always. And…Mr. Weasly?" he said, not completely sure. Ron nodded. _Finally..._

"Harry, you will go... with Mr. Nott! Weasly, please go and be partners with Mr. Corner. And dear Miss Granger—" Slughorn looked around the room and beamed, "Mr. Malfoy will do perfectly."

The professor turned around on the heel of his boot and began to brew his own potion as a guide. But however jolly Slughorn was, Hermione was in shock and honestly, pissed off. Harry was also quite annoyed as he would not be able to use the Half-Blood Prince's book without Nott snitching. Her hands gripped her cauldron's brim and heaved it up to her side. Hermione made her way over to where Malfoy sat crowded by four Slytherins. The peacock was sitting on the table, feet on top of his chair.

"Malfoy."  
"Yes."  
She breathed deeply before continuing. "Professor Slughorn paired us up. Don't think I jumped with joy when I got told."

"Oh." There was an odd tone in his voice. "Well, um...just do it quietly then."  
A cold sensation ran down her spine. Hermione threw her cauldron on to the table with a horrible metallic thud, making Malfoy fall off the table and land on the floor on his ass.

"You—"  
"What? What!? Really going to call me Mudblood for the 16th time this week? Can't come up with anything new?"  
Malfoy glared at Hermione, but he shooed the crowding Slytherins and picked himself up, flattering down his shirt.

After a few minutes of rustling and one dropped glass flask, the ingredients were ready with water boiling inside Hermione's cauldron.

"Know what to do?" the Gryffindor asked as she washed her hands with a special soap. Draco waited patiently behind her, folding up his robes and placing them on the bench beside the sink. All the groups had their own bench. They held one sink, a burner, four drawers full of different pincers and containers, two towels, and enough space for Dumbledore to comfortably lay on his back. Something, he found himself doing quite often when everyone was in bed and he just needed to think. Alone. Breathing in the room's diverse fumes.

"Yes. Did it with Snape once." He said in a bored tone. No matter how much she detested Snape (The 'I see no difference' had left her very self-conscious about her teeth, even after her on-point spell), she still felt a little jealous that Malfoy had extended potions.

"Because of your father?" she asked in the same tone though very interested. _I should ask McGonagal to give me extra classes on Transfiguration..._  
"What do you mean by that?" Malfoy asked taken back. Hermione dried her hands and the blond turned around and leaned back on the sink. His hands gripped the edge.  
"That's not- I meant that if you have your lessons because of their friendship."  
"No."  
There was an awkward pause as Malfoy swiftly washed his hands.  
"Not everything's got to do with my father. I have my own achievements, you know."

They stayed in silence after that, only speaking when absolutely necessary. It was gladly taken by both parties.

After 2 hours of brewing, being engulfed by fumes, getting their hair moist with steam; their potion was a violet purple with the familiar smell of sunscreen.

Once Slughorn had come down the desks once more and handed out points, he had given them 10 points each and full marks. Hermione beamed, hands on her hips as she gazed at the potion bubbling. Her hair was an absolute mess, she knew, but she felt like a lion, a mighty full marks lion. Smiling, she looked up at her companion. Malfoy's light hair was messy and ruffled, two strands falling down to his eyebrows. His shirt's cuffs were rolled up, and his tie hang loosely and to the side. The first two buttons of his white sleeved shirt were undone after a sudden explosion had made the atmosphere tenser than usual.

But there was no smile on his face. Malfoy was just sour as ever, something that brought Hermione considerably down.

"Why are you so sad all the time? We just got full marks," Hermione asked, seeing his eyes flicker at her voice.

"This potion takes multiple lessons, you know. You _would _know if you had done your research. Therefore, we will have to meet again." Draco said bitterly. "Is that your answer?"

The Slytherin stood up, collected his equipment, and left the room.

"Class, just leave your potions there. We will continue on Thursday. Have a good day," Slughorn said as he wiped off the chalk of the blackboard with a spell.

Hermione got up and hurried off straight over to the exiting Ron and Harry.

"It was horrible!" she cried, trying to tie all of her hair back into a new ponytail. Both friends nodded.

"I've got rotten Malfoy! And we have to work with them again on Thursday. And probably again next Tuesday."

"Nott threatened to poison me," Harry added flatly. His satchel hanged from his shoulder, bobbing up down as Harry walked. Ron offered to carry Hermione's bag, noticing that her body seemed tense and oddly straight, which she accepted thankfully.

"Bright side, you could both spill something into their cauldrons, step back, and watch them blow up in their faces."

* * *

_Notes for y'all.  
I was a big fan of glee, still am. The news of Naya Rivera's passing just popped up on my emails, and I know this is the Harry Potter fandom, but still.  
Rest in peace Naya. I hope you became friends with Amy and Whitney, the world will make sure to take care of your son. Love you always.  
A fan._


	5. Chapter 5, Eel Eyes

**Chapter 5, Eel Eyes**

The day Hermione dreaded had come.  
So when she slowly dragged her feet down to the dungeons with her two best friends beside her, Hermione was quite pissed off.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked as they walked down the stone basement of the castle. The brunette nodded but heavily sighed as she did. "It's just that, I don't know. Just standing near Malfoy makes me want to hit him again. Or something. You know?"  
A laugh escaped the redhead as he remembered the incident in their third year, but Hermione wasn't meaning to be funny. She gave him a glare and pushed some coiled hair behind her ear, making the silence that followed slightly heated.

The usual sight of Slughorn on his seat greeted them, as well as the warm smell of burnt curtains and stuffy strawberry air freshener.

"Good Afternoon!" the jolly professor beamed as he spread his arms wide for all the class to cringe.  
"You know what you must do! Chop chop!"

Hermione gave the two boys a closed smile and collected her things to move to Malfoy's table.

With her newly shipped vintage leather suitcase, Hermione confidently strode to where she could see the Slytherin's hunched back. She could feel her heart uncomfortably ramming itself onto her chest and the lungs inside of her shrink with angst, but as Harry had said simply, 'You're a Gryffindor.'

"Hello," she greeted loudly, too loudly. Malfoy flinched at her sudden appearance almost knocking his jars over. He grunted a reply and the bushy-haired girl sat by his side.

The class commenced once all the randomly selected pairs had organised themselves.

"This is going to be the last lesson with your respective partners." A sudden hoot of excitement run down the class. It had been quite a week.

"Now, now. No need to be so indecent to each other," Slughorn awkwardly smiled.

Most partnerships were inter-house, and as much as the students wished there wasn't, the rivalry between the lions and the serpent was evident. A common joke made by the Gryffindors was that a synonym for serpent was schemer and traitor. Ron especially would start hissing every time Malfoy or Blaise got close.

"After this third lesson, your potions should be ready and be able to be used as back-up stock in the Hospital Wing."

A few students looked at each nervously. Their potions, by no means, looked humanly safe. Some bubbled in unpleasant colours and had a stench of puss and alcohol.

"The instructions are the board. Get started!" he cried brightly, whacking his long ruler at the board.

After several classes together, Malfoy and Hermione had begun to put away their differences for the sake of their potion. Grunts and murmurs from blond still agitated Hermione, but she found it easier to just ignore them.

Their shoulders would sometimes bump if they leaned in the same direction, or Malfoy would nudge Hermione when he wanted something, and she would gently kick him in the ankle when he let a few more ounces of ingredients fall into the potion.

Their hands would sometimes brush if they reached for the same flask, making them both blush and lean away.

Soon, their silence became a way to concentrate. One of the only times it had been broken was when their disagreement happened.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she looked over the tall boy's shoulder.  
"Remember when I told you I had classes with Snape?" Malfoy asked as he casually cut the sclera off the eel eye. Blood stained his hands and knife as he did, but he continued on.  
"Yeah." Hermione turned her back to the eye, feeling her lunch claw up her throat. A gagging smell wafted into her stinging nostrils. She took one more step forwards.  
"Well, I normally have them on Tuesdays. Sometimes on Fridays, if Snape is feeling bitchy on Tuesdays." Draco turned around to look at Hermione who was pinching her nose. "Anyways, he told me that if you cut the white stuff from the eyes, the potion works better because what it really needs is the lens. So if you cut the white thing out, the liquid in the potion reaches the lens faster. Get me?" he asked. Slightly lightheaded, Hermione turned around. The knife was still on his hand. His _very_ bloody hand.  
"Please wash your hands before I vomit."  
"Too much for you, little princess?" Draco snickered as brought his hands palm-up towards Hermione.  
"I'm not a little princess," she said angrily, ducking and jabbing her elbow on his broad back. "And I said to wash them! It's highly un-hygienic."

After the blood was gone and the eyeball was cut up on the sides (revealing its very veiny centre), Malfoy dramatically let it plop in the potion. The two brought their heads directly above the cauldron as they watched it change colour. It bubbled and boiled, the eyeball melting into the rosy liquid.

"Pretty cool," Hermione murmured. "What else do we need?" she asked more to herself than to Malfoy. Her eyes squinted at the recipe. _Stir for one-minute counter-clockwise. _

Grabbing a wooden spoon from one of the drawers, Hermione began to stir as the instruction stated.  
"You're doing it wrong," grumbled Malfoy.  
"No. I am not."  
"Let me do it," he hissed as his hand snatched the slender spoon from her hands.  
"Hey! Give it back!" she cried, tightening her fingers around his pale wrist.  
"Let go." Their teeth gritted together as the two struggled for the spoon.  
"Snape said clockwise!" Malfoy yanked the wooden stick making tumble back onto the counter. But Hermione didn't let go, so now she found herself pressing onto his chest.  
"Fuck off!" Malfoy said weirded out, pushing the frozen girl back. Hermione caught her breath and tightened her ponytail slightly embarrassed.

"I _don't_ care if Snape told you its clockwise, but the instructions say _specifically_ to stir counter." Her eyebrows wiggled up and down as she challenged the Slytherin.  
"Just shut up filthy Mudblood," Malfoy waved off as he harshly dunked the spoon into the now-popping potion. "YOU SHUT UP ASS-HOLE!" she cried as tears glistened her eyes, slamming her fist down on the wooden counter and hearing it crunch under it.

The class's volume turned off like a switch. All heads darted towards the pair. The only noise that could be heard was the dangerous sizzling of the potions hissing for the attention to come back to them.

"Miss Granger! Mr. Malfoy! What is the meaning of this?!" Slughorn demanded bobbing up and down towards them. The taller one glared down at the other one who's gaze fell onto her shoes.  
"I'm sorry Professor. Malfoy was just—"  
_Being the piece of shit he is…  
_"—insulting me by—"

"HERMIONE!"

Screams and shrieks erupted from the class. A sudden black hole consumed her skin, eating it up like popcorn in a movie. Pain made her fall down to her knees, crashing down on the floor and feeling Hermione screamed as her bones split apart. The black hole made her way up to her brain, and before she could shove off the wand pressing down on her neck, her eyes rolled to the dark back of her head and an icy eternity greeted her with open arms.

* * *

_Hey guys. So I got the My Hero Academia bug, and I watched it all and wrote fanfiction for the past two months. Hopefully, I will be able to sprinkle in some references. If you want to check out some of my work, go to ao3 (I have the same username). I really love Kiribaku and Tododeku (both ships), and I recommend you watch the anime ASAP. _


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